French meeting for 888 chief

By Stephen Seawright

12:01AM GMT 28 Feb 2007

Online gambling company 888's former chief executive, John Anderson, has been asked to attend an interview with the French authorities. Mr Anderson, who remains a non-executive director with 888, was chief executive last summer when the company announced its sponsorship of Toulouse Football Club.

But last December, 888 cancelled its sponsorship and said: "The parties have taken the decision as the sponsorship could not be exploited fully due to pressure from the French authorities in relation to online gaming operators in France."

The cancellation followed a ban on advertising by internet gaming companies introduced by the French Professional Football League last September.

In the same month, the top two senior executives of Bwin, the Austrian online gaming company, were arrested by French police at a press conference to mark its sponsorship of Monaco's football team, and charged with illegal promotion of gaming.

The gaming industry in France is state-run but online operators have tried to break the monopoly, claiming they are protected by European Union law.

Yesterday, 888 said: "Revenue and income from French customers represents an immaterial percentage of the company's business."

The news from France follows the US crackdown last autumn, when laws were passed making it illegal to process payments for online gambling. It effectively killed the industry in America.

Shares in 888 tumbled 10¼ - or 9pc - to 99¾p on fears that the gaming group's tie-up with Ladbrokes - down 21¾, or 5pc, to 409¾p - could be in jeopardy.